Car-coupling



(No Model.)

E. BUCKLEY.

GAR GOUPLING. No. 394,954. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

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N. PETERS. Phalwuuwgnphcn Wnhi nnnn C.

UNTTn STATES PATENT Trice.

EDMQND BUCKLEY, OF SlVAN, IOlVA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SP'ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,954, dated December 25, 1888.

Application filed April '7, 1888. Serial No. 269,931. (No model.)

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Be it known that l, EDMOND BUCKLEY, a citiZen ot' the United States, residing at Swan, inthe county oi' Vai-ion and State ot Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, and to the letters and ligures of reference marked thereon, which Vform a part of this specication.

This invention relates to car-couplings, and has for its obj ect the provision oi simple, compact, and efficient means for coupling the cars automatically without the necessity of a person going between the cars `for coupling or uncoupling them.

The improvement consists in providing a draw-bar of novel. construction which will admit et the use of the usual couplingl link and pin, and which will be provided with an automatic coupling device on each side of the middle draw-1mi'. One of the said side coupling devices consists ofa link and pin, the link being permanently connected with the draw-bar and having its inner end weighted to support the outer end thereof.' and hold it in a horizontal position, or nearly so. The other side coupling device consists of a gravity-latch ol' peculiar constrilction and an. ex-

tension projecting upward from the bottomA ot' the draw-bar. 'lhe (lraw-head 'is triple and one side is open to permit ot' the link being t-urned out ot' the way when it desired that it should not be used in couplin The improvement further consists of the novel features, which hereinafter will be more i'ully described and claimed, and shown in the annexed drawings, in which-v Figure 1 is a perspective view ot' one end of a car provided with my improved coupler; Fig. 2, a side view, parts being broken away, of the coupler; Fig. 3, a front view of the coupler; Fig. 4, a side view of the coupler, looking at the side opposite to that seen in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5, a detail view showingI the operation of the gravity-latch.

The draw-bar A has a yielding connection with the car, and is provided with a triple head formed bythe lateral extensions or lugs a and a, there being two of each kind, one above the other, the extensions a. being connected at their outer ends bythe vertical bar o2. The upper side of the lower of the two extensions a is curved upward near its outer end to hold the link B parallel with the line of draft or in the direction of the length ot' the car. The two extensions d have vertical openings through which the coupling-pin C passes and holds the link L iu place. This pin is held in place by any suitable means, as the plate c, secured to the top lug, (i, and fitting in a groove or contracted portion of the said pin. The pin is enlarged at c just above the link, and this enlargement rests upon the rear end of the link and assists Vin holding it upon the bottom lug. The pin has a limited vertical movement to permit the linkB to move vertically when the cars are coupled.

'll ie link B has one end slotted and the other end solid, and provided with an opening 'for the 'pin (l. The solid end rests on the bottom lug, o, and possesses sutieient weight io hold the link in a horizontal position, being' additionally weight ed down by the coupling-pin.

The draw-bar is provided at the lmiddle of its head with the throat l) for the reception et' the ordinary link-and-pin coupling', (not showin) and with the upwardly-inclined extensions d, which are closed at their rear edges. The top lug, o', is notched in its rear edge, and is provided wi th the rear extension, e, and the bottom .lug is provided with the stop E, that is inclined on its front and rear edges, and which acts in connection with the gravity-latch F to hold the link of the adjacent car.

The gravity-latch is provided with the ears f, which embrace the top lugye, and with the rear extensions, j" f2. 'lhelower end of the latch inclines upwardly from a middle point in an opposite direction to the inclined edges of the stop E. The latch is held to the top lug by the pin G, that extends through the oblong slot f3 in the top ear, f. The rear side of the top lug, af, is vertical, and the front edge of the gravity-latch is also vertical and bears against the rear side of the said lug a.

The link on entering between the lugs c IOO rides over the stop E and pushes the gravitylateh backward and upward until it enters sufficiently far, when the latch `ig'ravitates and holds the link. between it and the stop. The rockshatt ll', having' its ends 7i bent at right angles and provided with the arm I and the lifting-hook i, that extends beneath the rear extension, j, is adapted to uncouple the cars by cii'ecting' an elevation oi' the rear end of the coupling-latein when the link is free to ride over the stop. The ends 7L are liexible and emljlraee the sides oi' the car with a certain degree ot' tension. lhe strip J', secured to one side of the car and having' a notch, jj, holds the latch elevated when the rock-shaft ll is turned, so that the arm will springl into the said notch '.lhis strip is beveled, so that when the latch is down the aims 71 will not exert airyv binding action and impede the t'ree movements ot the said latch.

It will be understood that: each end of the car will bc provided with my imiiirovement, and that the couplers will be so disposed that the drawheads on the opposing,` ends of; two cars will have the link ot' one coupler opposite the g'ravitvdateh ot' the other collpler. Now, when the cars are run together a double linleconneetion is had between them. At any rate the chances li'or coupling' are two to one overthe general run ot' couplers. The link can be turned atrig'ht angles to the drawbar when Yit is desired to have it out ot the way, as when coupling' the ear by the ordinary link and pin. This arrangement permits the coupler to be used on a wide range oi' ears and with the ordinary coupler.

Having thus described nl v invention, what l claim, and desire to secure b v Vl'iettta's Patent, is-

l. The herein-deseribtal coupler, com'liosed ol' a (lrzUv-hz-ir having;l top and bottom lugs to form a triple drawhead, two o'li' the Alugs beinf;l united by a vertical bar and the bottom lug ot the two having a stop on its upper side, the bottom lug ot' the other two lugs being' upwardly curved at its outer end, the link lweighted at its inner end and held on said curved lug' and tree to be turned to one side, the gravity-lateh havin ears that embrace the top 'lug ot' the said two united lugs, and having' its lower end inclined upwardly in each direction from a middle point, and having a rear extensioii and means Afor engaging with the said gravity-latch for moving' it, substantiall)`v as and lor the purpose described.

Vlhe combination, with the draw-bar and the link having' its inner end weighted, of the pin having' an enlargement which rests ou the link, and having' a groove or eontratifted portion, and the plate fitted in the said groove and. secured to the draw-bar to limit the vertical movement of' the pin, substantially as described.

il. '.lhe combination, with the draw-bar having' the doubleinclined stop E at its lower side, and havin its upperportion, a', notched on its rear side, ol' the gravitv-lateh F, having' thelugsj" at its front edge, which embrace the top am'lbottom sides ot' the said portion d', and having' the rear extensions, j and f2, and having' its lower end adapted to restJ on the stop E and sloping' in each direetion, the pin r, passing through a slot, j, in the upper lut',

f, and the operating-lever connected with the upper rear extension, j", substantially as speci tiel l.

In testimony whereof l ai'tix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

E DM ON l) .l UU KLE Y.

\\' it nesses:

W. H. Asumir, EMERSON HUNT. 

